{"id":28894,"date":"2012-12-03T14:14:29","date_gmt":"2012-12-03T21:14:29","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=28894"},"modified":"2022-01-14T10:31:53","modified_gmt":"2022-01-14T17:31:53","slug":"monkey-business-1952","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=28894","title":{"rendered":"Monkey Business (1952)"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong>&#8220;I&#8217;m beginning to wonder if &#8216;being young&#8217; is all it&#8217;s cracked up to be.&#8221;<\/strong><\/p>\n<table>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/12\/Monkey-Business-Poster.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/12\/Monkey-Business-Poster-191x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"191\" height=\"300\" class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-28896\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/12\/Monkey-Business-Poster-191x300.jpg 191w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/12\/Monkey-Business-Poster-81x128.jpg 81w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/12\/Monkey-Business-Poster.jpg 482w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 191px) 100vw, 191px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>Synopsis:<\/strong><br \/>\nA scientist (Cary Grant) experimenting with a potion to restore youth and vitality tries it on himself and is shocked to discover how effective it suddenly is &#8212; not realizing that one of his lab chimpanzees accidentally got into his supplies and tainted the water supply with the secretly powerful new brew. Meanwhile, Grant&#8217;s wife (Ginger Rogers) insists on trying the potion herself, while his boss (Charles Coburn) is desperate to determine exactly what is making the new mixture work so well.\n<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p>\n<strong>Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Cary Grant Films<\/li>\n<li>Charles Coburn Films<\/li>\n<li>Comedy<\/li>\n<li>Ginger Rogers Films<\/li>\n<li>Howard Hawks Films<\/li>\n<li>Hugh Marlowe Films<\/li>\n<li>Marilyn Monroe Films<\/li>\n<li>Scientists<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Review: <\/strong><br \/>\nWith Howard Hawks at the helm, a script by Ben Hecht, Charles Lederer, and I.A.L. Diamond, and a cast including Cary Grant, Ginger Rogers, and Marilyn Monroe, one can&#8217;t help expecting more from this somewhat disappointing screwball farce. The premise is an overly simple one and doesn&#8217;t really go anywhere interesting, other than to reveal the subconscious marital tensions behind the oh-so-perfect fa\u00e7ade of Grant and Rogers&#8217; &#8220;ideal&#8221; 1950s marriage (he&#8217;s the genius, she lovingly supports him even when he&#8217;s infuriatingly distracted). <\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/12\/Monkey-Business-Grant-Rogers.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/12\/Monkey-Business-Grant-Rogers.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"1373\" height=\"1027\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-62551\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/12\/Monkey-Business-Grant-Rogers.png 1373w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/12\/Monkey-Business-Grant-Rogers-300x224.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/12\/Monkey-Business-Grant-Rogers-1024x766.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/12\/Monkey-Business-Grant-Rogers-128x96.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/12\/Monkey-Business-Grant-Rogers-768x574.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/12\/Monkey-Business-Grant-Rogers-361x270.png 361w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1373px) 100vw, 1373px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>While Peary nominates both Grant and Rogers as Best Actor and Actress of the Year in his <em>Alternate Oscars<\/em>, I find their depictions as increasingly regressive adolescents silly rather than engaging. It <em>is<\/em> fun to see Monroe in an early sexpot role as Coburn&#8217;s secretary-in-name-only (she can&#8217;t even type): <\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/12\/Monkey-Business-Monroe-Leg.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/12\/Monkey-Business-Monroe-Leg.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"1385\" height=\"1027\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-62552\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/12\/Monkey-Business-Monroe-Leg.png 1385w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/12\/Monkey-Business-Monroe-Leg-300x222.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/12\/Monkey-Business-Monroe-Leg-1024x759.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/12\/Monkey-Business-Monroe-Leg-128x95.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/12\/Monkey-Business-Monroe-Leg-768x569.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/12\/Monkey-Business-Monroe-Leg-364x270.png 364w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1385px) 100vw, 1385px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Her freeway drive with Grant makes one wonder where their flirtation may go, but her character sadly fizzles into the background. <\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/12\/Monkey-Business-Freeway.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/12\/Monkey-Business-Freeway.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"1377\" height=\"1027\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-62553\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/12\/Monkey-Business-Freeway.png 1377w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/12\/Monkey-Business-Freeway-300x224.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/12\/Monkey-Business-Freeway-1024x764.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/12\/Monkey-Business-Freeway-128x95.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/12\/Monkey-Business-Freeway-768x573.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/12\/Monkey-Business-Freeway-362x270.png 362w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1377px) 100vw, 1377px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>The best part of the film comes during its final half-hour, when true chaos has erupted and the pace picks up enough to carry us along in its true silliness. <\/p>\n<p><strong>Redeeming Qualities and Moments: <\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>The absurdly slapstick final half-hour<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/12\/Monkey-Business-Slapstick.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/12\/Monkey-Business-Slapstick.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"720\" height=\"544\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-28897\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/12\/Monkey-Business-Slapstick.png 720w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/12\/Monkey-Business-Slapstick-128x96.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/12\/Monkey-Business-Slapstick-300x226.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 720px) 100vw, 720px\" \/><\/a><br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/12\/Monkey-Business-Slapstick2.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/12\/Monkey-Business-Slapstick2.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"720\" height=\"544\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-28895\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/12\/Monkey-Business-Slapstick2.png 720w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/12\/Monkey-Business-Slapstick2-128x96.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/12\/Monkey-Business-Slapstick2-300x226.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 720px) 100vw, 720px\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Must See? <\/strong><br \/>\nNo; while many find it amusing, it&#8217;s ultimately not must-see. Listed as a Personal Recommendation in the back of Peary&#8217;s book. <\/p>\n<p><strong>Links: <\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.imdb.com\/title\/tt0044916\/\">IMDb entry<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/1952\/09\/06\/archives\/the-screen-in-review-monkey-business-a-screwball-comedy-with-a.html\">NY Times Original Review<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/fantasticmoviemusings.com\/2017\/10\/11\/monkey-business-1952\/\">SciFilm Review<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.dvdtalk.com\/dvdsavant\/s478monroe.html\">DVD Savant Review<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.digitallyobsessed.com\/displaylegacy.php?ID=3454\">Digitally Obsessed Review<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tcm.com\/tcmdb\/title\/83861\/monkey-business#articles-reviews?articleId=85242\">TCM Article<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.combustiblecelluloid.com\/classic\/monkeybus.shtml\">Combustible Celluloid Review<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&#8220;I&#8217;m beginning to wonder if &#8216;being young&#8217; is all it&#8217;s cracked up to be.&#8221; Synopsis: A scientist (Cary Grant) experimenting with a potion to restore youth and vitality tries it on himself and is shocked to discover how effective it suddenly is &#8212; not realizing that one of his lab chimpanzees accidentally got into his supplies and tainted the water supply with the secretly powerful new brew. Meanwhile, Grant&#8217;s wife (Ginger Rogers) insists on trying the potion herself, while his&#8230;<\/p>\n<p class=\"read-more\"><a class=\"btn btn-default\" href=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=28894\"> Read More<span class=\"screen-reader-text\">  Read More<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-28894","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-reviews"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/28894","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=28894"}],"version-history":[{"count":17,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/28894\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":80347,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/28894\/revisions\/80347"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=28894"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=28894"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=28894"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}